Air popper

ABSTRACT

An air popper comprises a hollow drum portion, a funnel-shaped projecting portion extending upward from the drum portion and containing rolled tapes, a neck portion formed between the drum and projecting portion and provided with an inner annular groove, and a spherical shot memeber received airtight in the annular groove. The neck portion is surrounded by a substantially rigid ring member. When the shot member is received in the neck portion, the inner periphery of the ring member remains contacted by the outer surface of the neck portion so as to prevent the deformation of the neck portion upon compression of the drum portion, thus enabling the shot member as well as the rolled tapes to be unfailingly shot out of the air popper when the drum portion is compressed.

United States Patent [1 1 Kaneko [451 Sept. 9, 1975 Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Scr. No. 478,869, June 13.

1974, abandoned.

272/27 R, 27 N; 46/38, 44; 102/42 R, 42 C; 239/327, 3251;222/153, 563; 251/342; 285/242, 244, 255. 260

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 347,244 8/1886 Horton i1 124/11 R 1,491,809 4/1924 Mucchia 46/38 1,560,326 11/1925 Rutherford 46/38 1,664.401 4/1928 Craig 46/38 1,667,123 4/1928 Koller... 124/11 R UX 2,574,408 11/1951 Moe A 124/11 R 2.665.676 1/1954 Mobley, Jr.. 124/11 R 2,853,991 9/1958 McLain 124/11 R 3,596,600 8/1971 Himmelsbach, Jr. 102/42 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 130.923 3/1929 Switzerland 46/44 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-R. T. Stoufi'er 5 7 ABSTRACT An air popper comprises a hollow drum portion, a funnel-shaped projecting portion extending upward from the drum portion and containing rolled tapes, a neck portion formed between the drum and projecting portion and provided with an inner annular groove, and a spherical shot memeber received airtight in the annular groove. The neck portion is surrounded by a substantially rigid ring member. When the shot member is received in the neck portion, the inner periphery of the ring member remains contacted by the outer surface of the neck portion so as to prevent the deformation of the neck portion upon compression of the drum portion, thus enabling the shot member as well as the rolled tapes to be unfailingly shot out of the air popper when the drum portion is compressed.

11 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEUSEP 9;;35 5303.885

FIG. 4

AIR POPPER CROSS-REFERENCE TO THE RELATED APPLICATION This is a continuation-in-part application of the US. Pat. application Ser. No. 478,869 filed June I3, 1974, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an air popper and more particularly to an air popper for shooting out tapes or flakes under a pneumatic pressure.

Hitherto, gunpowder crackers have been widely used to increase entertainment in a party or social gathering. This method of entertainment consists in forcefully shooting tapes or colored flakes out of a cracker by exploding gunpowder packed therein. However, the conventional cracker has the drawbacks that when used near the people gathered in a party, it often causes burns to some of the people, scorch or soil their clothing, tapes forcefully shot out of the cracker have sometimes injured them and the cracker is expensive because it can be used only once.

Further, the US. Pat. No. 2,853,99l sets forth a toy air gun comprising a hollow compressible main body, a semispherical barrel portion projecting from the main body and provided with a lip at the forward end, a smaller diameter juncture provided between the main body and neck portion and a ping-pong" ball or a similar projectile received in the neck portion, whereby compression of the main body shots out the projectile by the resultant air pressure built up in the main body.

However, the patented toy air gun has the drawbacks that where the main body, neck portion and juncture are made thin or made of flexible material, then the juncture is easily deformed upon compression of the main body, resulting in the occurrence of an air gap between the projectile and juncture, preventing air pressure from being built up in the main body, and finally the failure to shoot the projectile, and that where the main body, barrel portion and juncture are made too thick to avoid these difficulties, more material is required to render the resultant toy air gun expensive.

It is accordingly an object ofthis invention to provide an air popper, wherein a rigid ring member having such an inner diameter as causes the inner periphery of the ring member to contact the outer surface of the neck portion of the popper is disposed so as to surround the neck portion, thereby, upon compression of a drum portion, preventing the neck portion adjacent to the drum portion from being unduly deformed and in consequence part of the inner wall of the neck portion from being removed from a shot member, thus enabling the shot member to be reliably discharged.

Another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive air popper.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An air popper according to this invention has a hollow body comprising a hollow deformable drum portion provided with an air chamber therein, a hollow funnel-shaped projecting portion communicating at its smaller diameter end with the air chamber and at its larger diameter end with the atmosphere, and a hollow neck portion having a circular cross section and a concave inner annular wall and formed between the drum portion and the projecting portion. A spherical shot member or spherical projectile is normally inserted into the neck portion such that the shot member is held or abuts on the inner annular wall of the neck portion.

A substantially rigid ring member surrounding the neck portion has such an inner diameter that its inner periphery contacts the outer periphery of the neck portion, when the shot member is placed on the inner annular wall.

Even when the drum portion is compressed, the ring member presses the neck portion against the shot member and prevents the neck portion from being deformed in such a manner that an air gap or air gaps are formed between the inner annular wall and the shot member. Thus air pressure is unfailingly built up in the air chamber, thereby enabling the shot member to be shot out of the air popper every time the drum portion is compressed.

The drum portion, projecting portion and neck portion may be made of a thin film of elastic plastic material and formed into a body. The projecting portion may be collapsible so as to place the ring member on the outer surface of the neck portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a right side view of an air popper according to an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top view ofa ring member used in this invention; and

FIG. 5 shows a deformed cross section of the neck portion of an air popper when the ring member according to this invention is not employed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Throughout the drawings, an air popper has a hollow body 10 comprising a hollow deformable drum portion II, a hollow funneLshaped projecting portion I2 extending outward from the drum portion II, a ringshaped or circular neck portion 13 disposed between the drum portion II and projecting portion I2 and a shot member 14 received in the neck portion l3. The drum portion ll, projecting portion 12 and neck portion 13 are integrally formed of elastic plastic material.

The drum portion 11 has a flat bottom 15, the drum head 17 measuring, for example, 50 millimeters in diameter and the periphery 33 measuring, for example, 35 millimeters in width. The drum portion 11 is provided inside with an air chamber 16. The walls of the drum head 17 should preferably be made sufficiently thin and flexible and deformable to be easily depressed by the fingers and, when released from the finger pressure, readily regain the original shape. Obviously, it is possible to construct the entire body 10 of sufficiently pliable or deformable thin material so as to be easily rendered collapsible when gripped by the hand, thereby reducing the cost of material and that of fabricating the entire body 10.

Each wall of the drum head portion I7 is provided outside with an annular rib l8 bearing an annular groove 19 inside and extending all along the proximity to the periphery of the drum head I7.

The hollow projecting portion I2 which has a funnel shape extends obliquely upward from the neck portion I3 at an angle of about 50 measured from the horizontal line. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the funnel-shaped projecting portion 12 amumes the form ofa round inverted frustum, whose free or upper end 20 has a larger diameter than the base portion or lower end 21 adjacent to the neck portion 13. Namely, the diameter of the projecting portion 12 is progressively enlarged toward the free end 20. Rolled tapes 23 and/or flakes (not shown) are received in a room 22 provided in the projecting portion 12. The projecting portion 12 opens at the free end 20 to the atmosphere and communicates at the lower end 21 with the air chamber 16.

Preferably, the projecting portion 12 is thin enough to be collapsible, thereby enabling the later described ring member 30 to be placed on the outer surface of the neck portion 13.

A shallow annular groove 24 is formed inside of the edge of the upper end portion of the projecting portion 12. A lid 25 made of, for example, paper is fitted into the annular groove 24 so as to be easily thrown off by the discharge of the shot member 14.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the neck portion 13 has a swollen form as viewed laterally. A concave annular inner wall 26 of the neck portion 13 constitutes an annular groove or a receptacle for the shot member 14. The central area 27 of the annular groove 26 has the largest inner diameter a. The inner diameter b of the upper periphery of the inner wall 26 (or the juncture or upper peripheral portion 28 between the neck portion 13 and projecting portion 12) and the inner diameter of the lower periphery of the inner wall 26 (or the juncture or lower peripheral portion 29 between the neck portion 13 and drum portion 11) are smaller than the inner diameter a. Further, the inner diameter b is made larger than the inner diameter c for the reason given later.

The air chamber 16 of the drum portion 11 communicates with the room 22 of the projecting portion 12 through the neck portion 13 when the shot member 14 is not inserted into the annular groove 26.

The shot member 14 is made of a spherical form of elastic material such as foamed styrol with a free diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter a of the horizontal central area 27 of the inner wall 26. The inner diameter a of the horizontal central area 27 of the inner wall 26 is desired to be slightly less than the outer diameter of the shot member 14. With the outer diameter of the shot member 14 taken to be, for example, millimeters, the diameters b and c of the upper and lower peripheries 28, 29 of the inner wall 26 are preferred to be 19 and 18 millimeters respectively.

The shot member 14 is inserted into the neck portion 13 at the free end 20 of the projecting portion 12. When passing through the opening defined by the upper peripheral portion 28 of the annular groove 26, the shot member 14 has its diameter elastically contracted to the dimension b and after passage through the opening, again swells for close fit into the inner wall 26 as shown in H6. 2.

The reason why the inner diameter c of the lower peripheral portion 29 of the annular groove 26 (the lower peripheral portion 29 also defines the opening of the drum portion 11 is made smaller than the inner diameter b of the upper periphery 28 of the groove 26 is for the object of preventing the shot member 14 from falling into the air chamber 16 through the lower peripheral portion 29 of the inner wall 26 due to the excessive impetus with which the shot member 14 happens to be forced into the inner wall 26.

The ring member 30 made of, for example, metallic material such as brass surrounds that part of the neck portion 13 which is disposed near the lower peripheral portion 29. The ring member 30 has such an inner diameter A that when the shot member 14 is placed in the neck portion 13, the inner periphery 30a of the ring member 30 contacts the outer surface of the neck portion 13 and is also smaller than the maximum outer diameter of the neck portion 13. Therefore, the ring member 30 is not normally moved upward beyond the neck portion 13.

The ring member 30 can be easily formed at low cost by annularly bending a bar member having a circular cross section as shown in FIG. 4.

When the projecting portion 12 is made collapsible as previously mentioned, then the ring member 30 can be placed on the neck portion 13, after the projecting portion 12 is folded by hand. Subsequent release of the hand from the projecting portion 12 brings the projecting portion 12 back to its original size, thereby enabling the ring member 30 to be easily engaged with or disengaged from the neck portion 13.

There will now be described the operation of this embodiment.

bet it be assumed that the neck portion 13 is rigid.

Where the drum portion 11 has its drum heads 17 forcefully depressed by the hand or fingers, then the air chamber 16 of the drum portion 11 decreases in volume with a sudden build-up of air pressure in the chamber 16. As the result, the shot member 14 is released from the inner wall 26 against the force with which the neck portion 13 holds the shot member 14 and is rapidly discharged toward the free end 20 of the projecting portion 12.

Where the neck portion 13 is made thin, then the neck portion 13 is deformed upon compression of the drum portion 11, unless there is provided means for restricting said deformation. For example, as illustrated in H0. 5, part of the inner wall 26 of the neck portion 13 is separated from the surface of the shot member 14, giving rise to air gaps 31. Since, in such a case, compressed air in the air chamber 16 escapes into the room 22 of the projecting portion 12, air pressure in the air chamber 16 decreases to prevent the shot member 14 from being forcefully discharged.

Conversely where the neck portion 13 is surrounded by the ring member 30, then the neck portion 13, no matter how thin it is, is never deformed but remains pressed against the shot member 14, so that if, upon compression of the drum portion 11, air pressure in the air chamber 16 increases, air gaps 31 are not likely to occur between the inner wall 26 of the neck portion 13 and the outer surface of the shot member 14. Since air pressure in the air chamber 16 is not reduced, compression of the drum portion 11 always enables the shot member 14 to be discharged from the air popper.

The discharged shot member 14 vigorously hurls the rolled tapes 23 and/or flakes toward the free end 20 in cooperation with the air quickly ejected from the air chamber 16. Accordingly, the rolled tapes 23 and/or flakes throw off the lid 25 to be shot out of the air popper 10.

When thus thrown outside, the rolled tapes 23, for example, fly up into the air, while unwinding themselves. When shot out of the air popper, flakes (not shown) also soar up into the air. Sounds produced when the shot member 14 is released from the annular groove 26 are magnified by resonance with the projecting portion [2 bearing an outline of inverted frustum, enabling people gathered nearby to enjoy pleasant tones unlike those derived from the prior art cracker.

The air popper of this invention can be repeatedly used by placing the already discharged shot member 14 again on the inner wall 26 of the neck portion 13 at the free end of the projecting portion 12, loading the room 22 of the projecting portion 12 with fresh rolled tapes 23 and/or flakes (not shown), and fitting the lid 25 into the annular groove 24 of the projecting portion 12.

Entertainment by the subject air popper may be further increased by previously holding very small articles 32 such as a folded paper cap, paper ballon and midget toy and taking them out of the air popper after its use. If, in such case, the drum portion 11 is made of transparent material, then the small articles 32 can be seen, offering a pleasant visual appeal to the people gathered, particularly to small children.

What is claimed is:

1. An air popper comprising:

a. a hollow body comprising a hollow deformable drum portion provided with an air chamber therein, a hollow deformable funnel-shaped projecting portion communicating at the smaller diameter end with the air chamber and at the larger diameter end with the atmosphere, and a neck portion having a circular cross section and a concave inner annular wall and formed between the drum portion and the projecting portion, said neck portion widening to a central area having the largest inner diameter and the largest outer diameter thereof;

b. a spherical shot member having a maximum diameter slightly larger than said largest inner diameter of said neck portion so as to be held airtight on the inner annular wall of the neck portion; and

c. a substantially rigid ring member positioned between said drum portion and said central area of said neck portion, said rigid ring member having an inner diameter of such a size that when said shot member is placed in said neck portion, said rigid ring member contacts said outer surface of said neck portion and is also smaller than said largest outer diameter of said neck portion so as to prevent the formation of air gaps between the inner annular wall and the shot member when the shot member is placed on the inner annular wall.

2. An air popper according to claim 1, wherein said ring member is made of a metallic wire.

3. An air popper according to claim 2, wherein said ring member has a circular cross section.

4. An air popper according to claim 3, wherein said ring member is made of brass.

5. An air popper according to claim 1, wherein said hollow body is made of elastic plastic material.

6. An air popper according to claim 5, wherein said hollow body is made of transparent material, thereby enabling an article in the drum portion to be seen therethrough.

7. An air popper according to claim 5, wherein said drum portion, projecting portion and neck portion are formed into a body.

8. An air popper according to claim 7, wherein said hollow body has a uniform thickness.

9. An air popper according to claim 8, wherein said ring member is made of a metallic wire.

10. An air popper according to claim 1, wherein the projecting portion contains rolled tapes and has a removable lid mounted in an annular groove formed inside of the peripheral edge of the larger diameter end of the projecting portion.

1 1. An air popper according to claim I, wherein said shot member is made of elastic material. 

1. An air popper comprising: a. a hollow body comprising a hollow deformable drum portion provided with an air chamber therein, a hollow deformable funnel-shaped projecting portion communicating at the smaller diameter end with the air chamber and at the larger diameter end with the atmosphere, and a neck portion having a circular cross section and a concave inner annular wall and formed between the drum portion and the projecting portion, said neck portion widening to a central area having the largest inner diameter and the largest outer diameter thereof; b. a spherical shot member having a maximum diameter slightly larger than said largest inner diameter of said neck portion so as to be held airtight on the inner annular wall of the neck portion; and c. a substantially rigid ring member positioned between said drum portion and said central area of said neck portion, said rigid ring member having an inner diameter of such a size that when said shot member is placed in said neck portion, said rigid ring member contacts said outer surface of said neck portion and is also smaller than said largest outer diameter of said neck portion so as to prevent the formation of air gaps between the inner annular wall and the shot member when the shot member is placed on the inner annular wall.
 2. An air popper according to claim 1, wherein said ring member is made of a metallic wire.
 3. An air popper according to claim 2, wherein said ring member has a circular cross section.
 4. An air popper according to claim 3, wherein said ring member is made of brass.
 5. An air popper according to claim 1, wherein said hollow body is made of elastic plastic material.
 6. An air popper according to claim 5, wherein said hollow body is made of transparent material, thereby enabling an article in the drum portion to be seen therethrough.
 7. An air popper according to claim 5, wherein said drum portion, projecting portion and neck portion are formed into a body.
 8. An air popper according to claim 7, wherein said hollow body has a uniform thickness.
 9. An air popper according to claim 8, wherein said ring member is made of a metallic wire.
 10. An air popper according to claim 1, wherein the projecting portion contains rolled tapes and has a removable lid mounted in an annular groove formed inside of the peripheral edge of the larger diameter end of the projecting portion.
 11. An air popper according to claim 1, wherein said shot member is made of elastic material. 